Objective: A closed suction system (CS) maintains connection with the mechanical ventilator during tracheal suctioning and is claimed to limit loss in lung volume and oxygenation. We compared changes in lung volume, oxygenation, airway pressure and hemodynamics during endotracheal suctioning performed with CS and with an open suction system (OS). Design:… (More)

PURPOSE OF REVIEW
An important goal of neurocritical care is the management of secondary brain injury (SBI), that is pathological events occurring after primary insult that add further burden to outcome. Brain oedema, cerebral ischemia, energy dysfunction, seizures and systemic insults are the main components of SBI. We here review recent data showing the… (More)

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a stepwise increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) on intracranial pressure (ICP) and to further define the pressure transmission characteristics of different body compartments.
DESIGN
A prospective, nonrandomized study.
SETTING
A multidisciplinary intensive care unit at a university medical center.
PATIENTS… (More)

OBJECTIVE
Isoflurane is a volatile anesthetic that has a vasodilating effect on cerebral vessels producing a cerebral blood flow increase. Furthermore, it has been shown in animal studies that isoflurane, when used as a preconditioning agent, has neuroprotective properties, inducing tolerance to ischemia. However, it is not routinely used in neurointensive… (More)

Use of game theoretical models to derive randomized mobile robot patrolling strategies has recently received a growing attention. We focus on the problem of patrolling environments with arbitrary topologies using multiple robots. We address two important issues currently open in the literature. We determine the smallest number of robots needed to patrol a… (More)

Use of game theoretical models to derive randomized mobile robot patrolling strategies has recently received a growing attention. We focus on the problem of patrolling environments with arbitrary topologies using multiple robots. We address two important issues currently open in the literature. We determine the smallest number of robots needed to patrol a… (More)

AIM
After an initial septic hit, the immune response to a new antigen changes as time progresses, with an unpredictable efficiency. The aim of this study was to characterize the monocyte functional phenotype by HLA-DR expression in septic patients at the onset of sepsis and during recovery in relation to organ failure and plasma mediators.
METHODS… (More)